Close to the Turkish resort of Didim is the ancient city of Prien, one of the twelve most famous ancient cities of Asia Minor. The policy is very well preserved to the present day, and now is a great example of the Hellenistic city.

Prien was founded in the XI century BC, son of Neleus epitope and is located at the foot of the hill Mycale .  This Ionian city was originally located on the coast of the Gulf of Latmiyskogo and had two harbors, which was a small fleet .  Prien belonged to the Union of twelve Ionian cities, and is just 17 kilometers from the famous Miletus .  Ten kilometers from the policy of a river Meander .  However, in the middle of the IV century, due to the deposits of the river, the coastline further away into the sea, and the city was several kilometers away from the water line .  Just at that time, Prien again rebuilt after the destruction of the Persians and the city had to be moved .  In 3-2 centuries .  Don . e .  Prien was part of the Seleucid, then the kingdoms of Pergamon; later - a provincial city of the Roman Empire and Byzantium .  During the finding of the policy under the rule of the Byzantine Empire, the city was the seat of the Byzantine bishop .  Later, because of strong subsidence caused by the sediment of the river, Prien had lost its significance .  Perhaps this has led to the death of the city .  But on this score there are other versions .  One of them claims that the cause of death of Priene was an earthquake, the other blames the epidemic of malaria .

The city existed up to the XIII century, when the Turks attacked and even more retreat of the sea made him a small village, completely lost its former significance. Despite this, Prien well preserved and contains practically no later reconstructions such as Ephesus. That is why he is considered one of the finest ancient monuments on the Aegean coast.

Prien - one of the few policies of Greece, which have brought to our time with sufficient information on the town planning of the Hellenistic period. The ruins of the city have the form of terraces, so were the subject of detailed scientific study of English society amateur in 1765 and 1768 respectively, and in 1895 - 1899 they thoroughly studied Theodore Vegand for the Berlin Museum. At the end of the XIX century they studied Karl Hooman, who found out that the city was built up in the system architect Hippodamus. Prien was divided by six streets in the 80 mini-quarters the size of which is approximately 42 by 35 meters. The blocks were four houses and a quarter is usually occupied public buildings. Striking skill of the architect, who left a strict rectangular urban composition in the mountainous terrain. Only in Pompeii this circuit layout of the city is preserved in this intact, but it is at least three centuries under prienskoy.

One of the first was built in Priene antique theater, otherwise called the Acropolis and dating back to IV century BC. In the II century AD, the Romans rebuilt it, in particular, they have reconstructed the scene. The theater is located at the top of one of the spurs of the mountain, at the base of which is spread and the ancient city. It offers a magnificent view of the surroundings. The theater is in the shape of a horseshoe in Hellenic classical style and has a small size. Its highlight is that it is located in the center of the altar, previously used for sacred offerings to Dionysus. Initially, the theater had 50 tiers of benches and seats 50 thousand spectators, and the length of the stage was 18 meters. The most striking feature of the buildings is the presence of five large marble throne for local dignitaries. Theater is perfectly preserved. Behind the building you can see the ruins of a Byzantine basilica.

The most famous monument of Priene - the temple of Athena, which is located on the background of a cliff and is visible from a distance .  It was built by the architect Pytheas, who was also the author of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus .  The temple was dedicated to Athena Polias, which translates as "the keeper of the city" .  Construction of the temple began in the middle of the fourth century BC, when Alexander the Great liberated from Persian rule Prien .  It was he who gave money for the construction of the Temple of Athena .  The inscription with the dedication of the temple of Alexander the Great is preserved in the British Museum in the form of fragments of a huge cult statue of the goddess .  Construction lasted about two centuries .  The length and width of the temple grounds are approximately 37 and 20 meters .  Colonnade 6 rows by 11 columns surrounding the temple, but it has survived only five Ionic columns .  The proportions and methods of construction of the temple was used as the standard, even in Roman times, when the construction of re-dedicated to Athena Polias and August, the new Roman emperor .  While all the existing shrines and temples Priene adapted to accommodate busts and statues of the emperor, his family and ancestors .  Before the ruins of the temple of Athena magnificent altar .

On the highest terrace of the city, just north of the temple, located the Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore, that a half-century or two older than any other city facilities .  A little below the Temple of Athena is the center of city life - Agora (market square) .  It dates back to the III century BC .  In the northern part of the sacred hall is 16 meters long and three sides of its limited columned portico .  Nearby is bouleuterion (parliament building) for up to 640 people, which is located near the place of the sacred fire - pretapeon .  Temple of Olympian Zeus is located in the eastern part of the agora, and the market in the west .  On both sides of the road connecting the western gate of the agora, are once rich houses, the walls of some of them have a thickness of up to 1, 5 meters .  Recently I found the stairs of houses prove that in ancient times they had at least two floors .  In addition, you can see the ruins of Priene gymnasium, the stadium and the term that are in pretty bad condition .